Many would consider Bob Dylan (left) and Allen Ginsberg (right) bohemians (even though they were both quite financially successful).

bohemian

What does “bohemian” mean?

Part of Speech: noun
adj

Pronunciations:IPA: /boʊ.ˈhi.mi.ən/ Glossary-style: [bo-HEE-mee-un]

Definition: noun: someone who is from or lives in Bohemia (a historical region located in the present-day Czech Republic in central Europe). someone who is unconventional, especially in lifestyle or appearance (Ex: young bohemians struggling to make a living).
adj: unconventional, especially in lifestyle or appearance (Ex: bohemian artists).

Example: When I think of “bohemians,” I think less of the Czech Republic than I do of young people who live in such cities as Paris or New York City and have dreams of living in an ideal world in which people value art and creativity and don’t stereotype others.

Practice vocab question for “bohemian”

A bohemian (note the lower-case b), would be most likely to
(A) imbibe copious amounts of malt beverages
(B) seek physical pleasure above all else
(C) make an ostentatious show of his knowledge
(D) eschew monetary success so that he could pursue his passion for writing poetry
(E) avoid contact with people

The best answer is D. For a challenge, can you think of the nouns that describe all the other answer choices? (Except for answer choice A; that was a play on the strong association between Bohemia and beer. ;)

sally

What does “sally” mean?

Part of Speech: noun
verb

Pronunciations:IPA: /’sæl.i/ Glossary-style: [SAL-ee]

Definition: noun: a rush forward; an attack, as by a group of soldiers against an enemy. a trip or excursion. a sudden witty remark. verb: rush or leap out suddenly. rush out to attack an enemy. start a trip or excursion (Ex: to sally forth into the world).

Example: The soldiers emboldened by betel nuts sallied forth in crazed excitement to meet the enemy and their destiny.

Practice vocab questions for “sally”

1. To sally is to
(A) rush out quickly, as to attack
(B) flee or evade
(C) make dirty
(D) waste time
(E) meet a hirsute male named Harry

The best answers are: 1. A and 2. D. For #2, and yes, this is a reference to Voltaire’s classic novella Candide–Candide leaves the place in which he was born to begin his adventures in the real world and learns a lot in the process.

Moot Court

moot

What does “moot” mean?

Part of Speech: adj
noun

Pronunciations:IPA: /mut/ Glossary-style: [moot]

Definition: adj: having no practical importance; being only a mental exercise (Ex: a moot discussion). open to debate; arguable. noun: (Law) a mock trial used for students to get practice participating in trials.

Example: Because Stella and Stanley had missed the bus, they would be late getting home. Their arguing about whose fault it was was really a moot point since they could not travel back in time and get to the bus stop earlier.

Practice vocab question for “moot”

A moot point is
(A) extenuating circumstances, or events or occurrences that lessen the severity of, say, a crime
(B) an observation that may be valid but will not change a situation or an outcome
(C) an implausible hypothesis assumed to be valid solely for the purposes of participating in a debate
(D) the sharp tip of a projectile
(E) an imagined situation that could not logically occur

squalor

Example: Life in the shantytown was not all bad; yes, there was the poverty and squalor that usually accompanies it, but there was also great life and character, and always something fun to do.

Practice vocab quiz for “squalor”

1. Of the following, which would best be most likely to be referred to as squalor?
(A) A five-star hotel in Monaco
(B) An abandoned building that is inhabited by squatters in New York City and is not tended to by the city or the people who sleep there
(C) A capsule hotel in Tokyo, in which guests have only enough space to sleep, but not to walk around
(D) A “dude ranch” in Texas, where paying guests work as ranchers (or “cowboys”) as a vacation
(E) A youth hostel in Europe, which provides inexpensive accommodations to travelers